Reporting the departure of the Italian Mob

Isobel has just given me the green light to tell you about a very unexpected, but very happy,  mass departure from www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com of two of my Bear friends (Light Brown Furry Bear - Etsy Listing #69778197 and my special friend  - because he was made to look slightly like me, after Isobel had made me! - Brown Plush & Felt Bear - Etsy Listing #69777037), as well as all the Baby Koalas we had in stock and my good friend Ed Ted and new friend Big Koala!  They have all been packed away together - so none of them will be lonely - in a black bin bag and placed carefully in the boot of a Jaguar car that is going to be transported to a place in Italy named Sequals.

We've now got a lot more space in the various cupboards that Isobel stashes the toys awaiting their Forever Homes, but it means we have got some gaps that need filling before the Spring Craft Fair coming up in the Heytesbury Primary School, in March.  Still, as Easter is coming (so I am told - as a Bear that really doesn't mean much to me) and Rabbits and Hares are apparently highlighted at this time of the year, Isobel will have to concentrate on them rather than us Bears for a while, I expect.

Isobel and Peter's long-term friend, Mr.RE was the prime-mover in this massive movement out of our Shop (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) -  as I've only just met him, and being a very polite Bear, I decided to address him more formally.  Before he left to go back to Italy with the Cuddlies Mob, he took some pictures of Isobel and I (for publicity purposes, I overheard) and he took one of me, by myself.  Wonder what do you think of it?

This was taken within the new Mini-Photo Studio, trying out different backgrounds

Mr. RE also took several of Isobel and I together, which we are going to use as profile pictures for the various sites on which the Cuddlies operate or are mentioned (don't know them myself, but you - our Followers which now number 120 as of today!) will know what I mean.  Then, finally, we had a tremendous photography session in which I took part in the traditional farewell  pictures before our Cuddlies leave for their Forever Homes.

Here are some of them, including some in which Mr.RE decided not to feature me - because there simply wasn't room on the chair for all of us, and he wanted some of his new Cuddlies friends, whose Forever Homes are going to be where children of his family and friends live in Italy and elsewhere.  Not sure where the "elsewhere" bits might be, but I don't think they're going to be in England, anyway.

Light Brown Furry Bear and me - taken in a chair in the Residents' Hall

By the time these farewell pictures were taken, Isobel had taken over the camera - while Mr.RE moved us and the chair around so that shadows could not cut across us.  It was a very bright sunny day, and the Resident's Hall has windows on both sides of the room, as well as at one end, so there was an awful  of light causing lots of possible shadows.  We got moved around a lot before Mr. RE was satisfied, and we still got some shadows - but the overall effect was one we could all live with!

Here is Big Koala - or Mr. K, as Mr.RE has decided to call him. (I don't know whether that is his original name, or one that was decided on recently).    I'm sorry to see him go, as he has been a ColdhamCuddly for rather a short time.  Still, I can look forward to another Big Koala soon, because it was always understood that when Mr RE came to take his really long-time friend Ed Ted back with him, Big Koala would go too.  They'd lived in the same home for a long time - and shared space in the same attic for quite a bit of that time as well.  Followers of this blog will recall that his renovation/re-creation was posted about late in 2011, and Isobel had wondered if the original Big Koala had real Australian origins.  Mr.RE confirmed that his late father had brought him home for him when he was a little boy.  Mr.RE's father was an airline pilot and Australia was one of his usual destinations.

The Koala Family line-up, with me being allowed to participate

Ed Ted and Me - it was bit of a squash for both of us in the chair

Ed Ted, as many of our Followers may remember, was one of the first Patients in the ColdhamCuddlies  Soft Toy Clinic  - EtsyListing #79124185 - and had to wait a few months for Mr.RE to find the time to come and collect him after his treatment had been completed.  He and I had become quite good friends - and he used to accompany Isobel and I to various Craft Fairs to illustrate how Bears and other toys can be rejuvenated.  He was the lead feature in the ColdhamCuddlies Shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/Soft Toy Clinic - Etsy Listing #79124185) and since his departure has been replaced by a recently renovated Bear - Tommy Teddy - as the lead thumbnail photograph.

"The Italian Mob"

Ed Ted and Mr. K cannot really be classed as The Italian Mob, because they are being returned to their original Forever Home - never mind that, that has changed from somewhere in a place called Essex, England, UK to a place called Sequals, Italy!

There's going to be another post coming up in a day or two - featuring our two new Glove Puppets, listed earlier this week as Melissa and Melinda Mad March Hare Plush Glove Puppets - as well as news of another impending set of departures (featuring 4 Baby Rabbits and Auntie Brenda Brown Rabbit - who heading for their Forever Homes (not sure if they are likely to be together, or spread around the family of a Mrs. SP from Medford, Ma, USA! 

Oh - and another development:  the labels Isobel and Mr.RE had been working on towards the end of last year are almost ready for use!  Samples were received on Tuesday morning, while Mr.RE was with us - which was convenient!  It was a real coincidence, because we only knew Mr.RE was coming to see us a couple of days before he arrived, and the labels had been being prepared several days prior to that.  After some slight changes were discussed, Isobel today gave the go-ahead for the order to be completed.  They should be with us in a week to ten days, I think.

Whatever else can be said, the Coldham Cuddlies, Isobel and I seem to be on a bit of a roll at the moment!  Long may it continue, as long as Isobel can keep up with the necessary replacements!  Bye for now.  Cy Bear